Do you pay your TV licence fee?
Discussion
simonrockman said:
This was the topic of conversation at a Christmas party I went to.
The room was very divided. Those of a certain age, I'd guess over forty were in the camp I'm in "yes, of course, everyone does".
Those in their twenties "no, no one does".
Polling friends of my kids and an intern at work it seems that they all think the licence fee should be regarded as optional and they choose not to take that option.
It's the future. Whether you like the fee or not it's naturally coming to it's end.The room was very divided. Those of a certain age, I'd guess over forty were in the camp I'm in "yes, of course, everyone does".
Those in their twenties "no, no one does".
Polling friends of my kids and an intern at work it seems that they all think the licence fee should be regarded as optional and they choose not to take that option.
For people that don't use BBC services, I can see that as a reason for non payment. Some of those folk that don't pay though seem to say it's because it's crap/woke/biased - Not sure how they know if they never watc, so they are essentially using without paying.
I pay it as I watch BBC TV, and at the weekends sport on the radio, so I think it's reasonable value for what I consume. It should be noted that Netflix/Prime that many people are happy to pay for run at massive commercial loss but are comparable price to BBC is you have more than a couple of viewers, and don't freeload by sharing logins.
I pay it as I watch BBC TV, and at the weekends sport on the radio, so I think it's reasonable value for what I consume. It should be noted that Netflix/Prime that many people are happy to pay for run at massive commercial loss but are comparable price to BBC is you have more than a couple of viewers, and don't freeload by sharing logins.
Don’t you have to have a license if you have equipment capable of receiving the signal, even if you don’t watch it (and it’s not even connected). I thought that was a thing.
I pay it, age 40.
Edit: just checked the rules and apparently not. We’ll still pay it as the missus and kids use iPlayer.
I pay it, age 40.
Edit: just checked the rules and apparently not. We’ll still pay it as the missus and kids use iPlayer.
Edited by SilverBirch on Thursday 27th January 20:56
Edited by SilverBirch on Thursday 27th January 20:57
abzmike said:
Lotusgone said:
Cancelled it more than a year ago. Do I watch live TV? Sometimes. Does the BBC break its independent reporting charter? Sometimes. Tit for tat.
What a balanced argument… 
Do you take such a selective view on paying for other stuff you use but don’t approve of?
In this instance I do have a choice. When this archaic tax is killed off, I might subscribe to the Beeb or I might not.
Lotusgone said:
There's an awful lot of tax I pay where I have little choice - income tax, VAT on some items, council tax, insurance premium tax etc etc. Do I approve on how all of it is spent? - like virtually everyone, no.
In this instance I do have a choice. When this archaic tax is killed off, I might subscribe to the Beeb or I might not.
Let's be clear: if you watch live TV then you don't have a choice any more than you have a choice of paying income tax or VAT. Which is rather the point that gets people upset; you are legally obliged to pay, or face the prospect of going to court.In this instance I do have a choice. When this archaic tax is killed off, I might subscribe to the Beeb or I might not.
Didn’t pay for a few years up until covid struck , as it was 100% Netflix , however as the wife was wfh she enjoyed having the news on in the background so got the licence again. I also use iPlayer now for about an hour a day or more, so it offers decent value to me.
I admit they make it easy to both stop and start paying at TVL. Very efficient indeed, and no “hard sell” or daft questions from the person I spoke to.
I admit they make it easy to both stop and start paying at TVL. Very efficient indeed, and no “hard sell” or daft questions from the person I spoke to.
deckster said:
Lotusgone said:
There's an awful lot of tax I pay where I have little choice - income tax, VAT on some items, council tax, insurance premium tax etc etc. Do I approve on how all of it is spent? - like virtually everyone, no.
In this instance I do have a choice. When this archaic tax is killed off, I might subscribe to the Beeb or I might not.
Let's be clear: if you watch live TV then you don't have a choice any more than you have a choice of paying income tax or VAT. Which is rather the point that gets people upset; you are legally obliged to pay, or face the prospect of going to court.In this instance I do have a choice. When this archaic tax is killed off, I might subscribe to the Beeb or I might not.
The BBC does whatever it damn well likes and with Ofcom full of ex-BBC employees, there is not enough oversight on their failure of independent reporting, the actions of their employees, their low productivity or their general approach (diversity of race but not opinion). I happen to know a couple of local BBC presenters; they say the sitcom W1A was a documentary.
This is my way of protesting. It's more seditious than blocking the M25 or putting Chris Whitty in a headlock, but you can see from the stats that fewer people are renewing their licences.
Cynical? Next time you order something from Amazon, consider why the payment is going to Luxembourg.
I pay.
Forget whether you watch BBC1 or listen to Radio 4.
The most 'soft' influence the UK has in the world is largely due to the BBC. (Endless evidence to support this).
You'll never get that back if you defund it, and make it a commercial operation.
BBC radio can never support itself via subscription, so would all pretty much grind to a halt. Including, and especially BBC world service.
If the BBC started advertising, ITV and Ch 4 would suffer a huge dip in funding.
Something nobody seems to mention is how much money the BBC brings into the UK (we sell a huge amount of content to over 160 countries), as well as how many hundreds of thousands are either employed by, or 'down the production line'. BBC films create many creative jobs into one of the industries that we're are best known for in the world.
I should declare an interest here. I'm not employed by the BBC, but what I do as a self employed bod, via them, brings in over £100k every year from overseas. 40% straight into the exchequer. And I'm a small fish!
Regarding left wing right wing bias, Just check it out on Wikipedia - generally 22% think it is left wing biased, 18% think it's right wing biased. Nuff said on that. I'll not even attempt to argue that on here having been on PH for 21 years!
Lastly. I think the funding issue has to be revised as it's just not fit for purpose in the 2020's.
But until someone comes up with a viable construct that will maintain a great and influential British institution, to those on here that have decided not to pay, I can understand why, but by not doing so you are not helping one of the finest and most successful industries we have in the UK.
Forget whether you watch BBC1 or listen to Radio 4.
The most 'soft' influence the UK has in the world is largely due to the BBC. (Endless evidence to support this).
You'll never get that back if you defund it, and make it a commercial operation.
BBC radio can never support itself via subscription, so would all pretty much grind to a halt. Including, and especially BBC world service.
If the BBC started advertising, ITV and Ch 4 would suffer a huge dip in funding.
Something nobody seems to mention is how much money the BBC brings into the UK (we sell a huge amount of content to over 160 countries), as well as how many hundreds of thousands are either employed by, or 'down the production line'. BBC films create many creative jobs into one of the industries that we're are best known for in the world.
I should declare an interest here. I'm not employed by the BBC, but what I do as a self employed bod, via them, brings in over £100k every year from overseas. 40% straight into the exchequer. And I'm a small fish!
Regarding left wing right wing bias, Just check it out on Wikipedia - generally 22% think it is left wing biased, 18% think it's right wing biased. Nuff said on that. I'll not even attempt to argue that on here having been on PH for 21 years!
Lastly. I think the funding issue has to be revised as it's just not fit for purpose in the 2020's.
But until someone comes up with a viable construct that will maintain a great and influential British institution, to those on here that have decided not to pay, I can understand why, but by not doing so you are not helping one of the finest and most successful industries we have in the UK.
Lotusgone said:
The BBC does whatever it damn well likes and with Ofcom full of ex-BBC employees, there is not enough oversight on their failure of independent reporting, the actions of their employees, their low productivity or their general approach (diversity of race but not opinion). I happen to know a couple of local BBC presenters; they say the sitcom W1A was a documentary.
The Beeb has done a recent volte face on an anti-Semitic story they recently had. Ofcom are looking into it, which maybe prompted the Beeb to have it's own internal inquiry after defending the story for weeks. The Beeb was great once, it isn't what it used to be.No, never have and never will (late 20s). Why would I pay for something I never use? I don't watch live tv or use iPlayer. I also very much dislike the misinformation that surrounds it - you are not obligated to pay for it if you genuinely don't watch live TV or use iPlayer.
No one asks if you pay your Netflix subscription if you don't use use their services. Its the price of a couple of pints, why wouldn't you?
No one asks if you pay your Netflix subscription if you don't use use their services. Its the price of a couple of pints, why wouldn't you?
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